It was a gripping contest in Match 13 of the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup 2026 at Chelmsford, where momentum swung across both innings before The Blaze Women sealed a composed three-wicket victory over Essex Women with 63 balls to spare. The match flowed through phases of collapse, recovery, and calculated pursuit.
Batting first, Essex Women never quite found a stable rhythm despite a few valuable partnerships. The innings began on a shaky note when Grace Scrivens was trapped lbw early by Grace Ballinger, falling for 0 and leaving Essex at 1/0 in just 0.3 overs.
Cordelia Griffith and Alice Macleod attempted to steady things, adding 17 runs for the second wicket before Macleod departed for 9 (15 balls), caught off Ballinger at 2/18 in 6.3 overs. Griffith then stitched together a crucial 48-run stand with Jodi Grewcock, who top-scored with a fluent 44 off 71 balls, including five boundaries. Griffith contributed 26 (51), but her dismissal at 3/66 in 18.4 overs once again tilted the momentum.
The middle overs saw Sophia Smale inject some urgency with 34 from 48 balls, forming another handy partnership with Joanne Gardner, who made 13. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, from 4/100 to 7/147, as the Blaze bowlers maintained pressure. Florence Miller (3), Amara Carr (50 off 45 balls, striking at 111.11), and Sophie Munro (15 off 12) added late resistance. Carr’s aggressive knock was the standout, helping Essex cross the 200-run mark before being dismissed at 10/213 in 49.2 overs.
The Blaze bowling attack shared responsibilities effectively. Grace Ballinger led with 1/27 in 8 overs, while Kathryn Bryce impressed with 2/22 from 7.2 overs. Lucy Higham (2/33), Orla Prendergast (2/26), and Kirstie Gordon (1/34) ensured consistent breakthroughs, restricting Essex to 213 despite their late surge. Nat Sciver-Brunt, though wicketless, conceded 48 runs in her 6 overs, playing a containing role.
Chasing 214, The Blaze Women had a cautious start but lost Tammy Beaumont early for 4, caught off Kate Coppack at 1/8 in 2.5 overs. Marie Kelly then anchored the innings with a steady 37 (40 balls), forming a brief recovery stand before being run out at 5/61. The innings wobbled further as Kathryn Bryce and Nat Sciver-Brunt both fell cheaply, leaving the Blaze at 3/9 and then 4/22, a precarious position.
The turning point came through a composed and match-defining partnership between Georgia Elwiss and Orla Prendergast. Elwiss scored a steady 30 (34), while Prendergast anchored the chase brilliantly with an unbeaten 69 off 77 balls. Together, they added 75 runs, stabilising the innings from 6/97 to 7/104 after Emma Jones fell for 2.
Kirstie Gordon then joined Prendergast to finish the job, contributing an unbeaten 47 off 62 balls. Their unbroken partnership ensured there were no further hiccups, guiding The Blaze to 215/7 in 39.3 overs at a run rate of 5.44.
For Essex, Kate Coppack (2/39) and Sophie Munro (2/28) were the standout bowlers, keeping things competitive during the middle overs. Jodi Grewcock also chipped in with 1/52, while Sophia Smale (1/51) and others struggled to contain the steady scoring in the latter half of the chase.
In the end, it was a clinical chase built on resilience and partnerships that defined The Blaze Women’s victory, as they paced their innings smartly to overcome early setbacks and seal an important win.
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